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candle
(redirected from couldn't hold a candle)

   Also found in: Medical, Idioms, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia, Hutchinson 0.03 sec.
can·dle  (kndl)
n.
1.
a. A solid, usually cylindrical mass of tallow, wax, or other fatty substance with an axially embedded wick that is burned to provide light.
b. Something resembling this object in shape or use.
2. Physics
a. Abbr. c An obsolete unit of luminous intensity, originally defined in terms of a wax candle with standard composition and equal to 1.02 candelas. Also called international candle.
b. See candela.
tr.v. can·dled, can·dling, can·dles
To examine (an egg) for freshness or fertility by holding it before a bright light.

[Middle English candel, from Old English and from Anglo-Norman candele, both from Latin candla, from candre, to shine; see kand- in Indo-European roots.]

candler n.

candle [ˈkændəl]
n
1. a cylindrical piece of wax, tallow, or other fatty substance surrounding a wick, which is burned to produce light
2. (Mathematics & Measurements / Units) Physics
b.  another name for candela
burn the candle at both ends to exhaust oneself, esp by being up late and getting up early to work
not hold a candle to Informal to be inferior or contemptible in comparison with your dog doesn't hold a candle to mine
not worth the candle Informal not worth the price or trouble entailed (esp in the phrase the game's not worth the candle)
vb
(Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Agriculture) (tr) to examine (eggs) for freshness or the likelihood of being hatched by viewing them against a bright light
[Old English candel, from Latin candēla, from candēre to be white, glitter]
candler  n
ThesaurusLegend:  Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Noun1.candlecandle - stick of wax with a wick in the middle
candlewick - the wick of a candle
chandlery - candles and other commodities sold by a chandler
dip - a candle that is made by repeated dipping in a pool of wax or tallow
lamp - an artificial source of visible illumination
rush candle, rushlight - a tallow candle with a rush stem as the wick
vigil candle, vigil light - a candle lighted by a worshiper in a church
wick, taper - a loosely woven cord (in a candle or oil lamp) that draws fuel by capillary action up into the flame
2.candle - the basic unit of luminous intensity adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites; equal to 1/60 of the luminous intensity per square centimeter of a black body radiating at the temperature of 2,046 degrees Kelvin
candlepower unit, luminous intensity unit - a measure of luminous intensity
Verb1.candle - examine eggs for freshness by holding them against a light
examine, see - observe, check out, and look over carefully or inspect; "The customs agent examined the baggage"; "I must see your passport before you can enter the country"
Translations
candle [ˈkændl]
A. Nvela f, candela f; (in church) → cirio m
to hold a candle to sb you can't hold a candle to himno le llegas ni a la suela de los zapatos
it's not worth the candleno merece or vale la pena
see also burn 1 B1
B. CPD candle end Ncabo m de vela
candle grease Ncera f derretida
candle holder N = candlestick

candle [ˈkændəl] n (wax)bougie f; (tallow)chandelle f; (in church)cierge m
to burn the candle at both ends → brûler la chandelle par les deux bouts
he can't hold a candle to you → il ne vous arrive pas à la cheville
the game is not worth the candle (old-fashioned)le jeu n'en vaut pas la chandelle
candle holder candle-holder nporte-bougie m

candle
nKerze f; to burn the candle at both endsmit seinen Kräften Raubbau treiben; he can’t hold a candle to his brotherer kann seinem Bruder nicht das Wasser reichen; the game is not worth the candledas ist nicht der Mühe wert

candle in cpdsKerzen-;
candle end
candle grease
nKerzenwachs nt
candlelight
nKerzenlicht nt, → Kerzenschein m; by candleim Kerzenschein, bei Kerzenlicht; a candle dinnerein Candlelight-Dinner nt, → ein Essen ntbei Kerzenlicht

candle:
candlepower
n (old Elec) → Lichtstärke f
candlestick
nKerzenhalter m
candlewick
n
Kerzendocht m
(Tex) → Frottierplüschmuster nt
attr bedspreadim Frottierplüschmuster

candle [ˈkændl] ncandela; (in church) → cero
candle [ˈkændl] ncandela; (in church) → cero

candle
n candle [ˈkӕndl]
a moulded piece of wax with a wick in the centre, for giving light We had to use candles when the electric lights went out. kers شَمْعَه свещ svíčka (stearin-)lys die Kerze κερί vela küünal شمع kynttilä bougie נֵר मोमबत्ती svijeća gyertya lilin kerti candela ろうそく 양초 žvakė svece lilin kaars stearinlys, (levende) lys świeca vela lumânare свеча sviečka sveča sveća stearinljus เทียน mum 蠟燭 свічка موم بتی ، قندیل ، شمع cây nến
n candle-light
the light from a candle We had dinner by candle-light. kerslig ضوء، شَمْعَه светлина на свещ světlo svíčky levende lys das Kerzenlicht φως κεριών luz de vela küünlavalgus نور شمع kynttilänvalo lumière dechandelle אוֹר נֵרוֹת मोमबत्ती की रोशनी svjetlo svijeće gyertyafény cahaya lilin kertaljós lume di candela ろうそくの明り 촛불 žvakės/žvakių šviesa sveču gaisma cahaya lilin kaarslicht levende lys światło świec(y) luz de velas lumina lumâ­nării свет свечи svetlo sviečky svečava svetlost sveće levande ljus, sken från stearinljus แสงเทียน mum ışığı 燭光 світло свічки موم بتی کی روشنی ، دھیمی روشنی ánh nến
n candlestick
a holder for a candle. blaker شَمْعَدان свещник svícen lysestage der Kerzenleuchter κηροπήγιο candelero, palmatoria küünlajalg شمعدان kynttilänjalka chandelier פָּמוֹט दीपाधार svijećnjak gyertyatartó tempat lilin kertastjaki candeliere ろうそく立て 촛대 žvakidė svečturis pemegang lilin kandelaar lysestake świecznik castiçal sfeş­nic подсвечник svietnik svečnik svećnjak ljusstake เชิงเทียน şamdan 燭台 свічник موم بتی کو اٹھانے والا اسٹینڈ giá đỡ nến

candle شمعة svíčka stearinlys Kerze κερί vela kynttilä bougie svijeća candela ろうそく 양초 kaars stearinlys świeca vela свеча stearinljus เทียน mum nến 蜡烛


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